Tsonga, in tears, says goodbye to tennis with a loss to Ruud
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Paris, May 24 (EFE) .- Between tears and diminished by physical problems, the Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 37, closed almost two decades of career in the elite with a defeat in the first round against the Norwegian Kasper Ruud (eighth of the world), who won 6-7 (6), 7-6 (4), 6-2 and 7-6 (0) in three hours and 49 minutes.
Tsonga, who was number 5 in the world, finalist of the Australian Open in 2008, winner of Davis in 2017 and winner of 18 ATP titles -including two Masters 1,000-, said goodbye with a defeat that sold face witnessed by the thousands of Spectators gathered on the main pitch at Roland Garros, the Philippe Chatrier.
At the farewell ceremony, held on the pitch, were, among other authorities, the new French Sports Minister, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, the president of the French Tennis Federation, Gilles Moretton, as well as his parents, wife and two daughters.
French tennis players of his generation such as Richard Gasquet, Gael Monfils and Gilles Simon also attended the tribute. And other younger ones, like Benjamin Bonzi or Benoit Paire.
A professional for 18 years, the Le Mans tennis player was currently number 220 in the world and has not won an ATP title since 2019.
“In my life I have had to deal with those who told me that I would never amount to anything. I proved otherwise,” he said as he read a prepared speech, with which he tried to contain his emotion.
Tsonga spoke of his complex relationship with the media, which he thanked for helping him mature. “One day he was a hero, another a villain, another day he was a white man, another a black son of a Congolese,” recalled the tennis player, who assured that what changed his life the most was being a father.
The three world tennis greats, Rafa Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, left a recorded video message talking about Tsonga’s “charisma” and thanking the contribution he gave to the world of tennis.
In the tribute video projected by the French Federation, several of the great moments of Tsonga’s 1,002 matches on the professional circuit were recalled, including his victories against the “big three”.
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